Former First Lady, Other Dignitaries Attend U.S.-Afghan Women’s Council

February 6, 2013– From left to right: U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues, Melanne Verveer (I’66, G’69), former First Lady Laura Bush and Georgetown President John J. DeGioia gather after a meeting yesterday of the U.S.-Afghan Women’s Council.

Housed at Georgetown, the council is a public-private partnership created in 2002 by Presidents George W. Bush and Hamid Karzai. It is designed to connect the U.S. and Afghan governments, the private sector, academia and non-governmental organizations for initiatives in support of Afghan women and children.

DeGioia and Verveer are among the council's U.S. chairs. Afghan Minister of Foreign Affairs Zalmai Rasul and Husn Banu Ghazanfar, Afghanistan's minister of women’s affairs, also serve as co-chairs. The partnership is under the direction of Georgetown professor Phyllis Magrab, council vice chair and director of Georgetown’s Center for Child and Human Development. Former First Lady Laura Bush, who founded the council, serves as honorary co-chair in reflection of her continued commitment to Afghan women and girls.